


Which time?

by Lisalicious



Series: Make Mine a DarkPilot [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, smol angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-13 12:40:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9123991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lisalicious/pseuds/Lisalicious
Summary: When did Poe know he was in love?





	

If you were to walk up to Poe and ask him when he knew he was in love he’d smile at you and ask, “Which time?”   Then he would laugh at your confused expression because he knows you’re talking about Kylo, but this isn’t the first time he’s been in love with him.  Then he would lean in, and start at the beginning, and tell you both…

When Poe was 8 years old his mother died.  It was a terrible time for him, and, once the little school he attended on Yavin IV let out for the summer, Kes was worried that his boy would become lonely and even more depressed.  So between Kes, Han, and Leia it was decided that Ben would come to stay with Poe for the summer.

Ben followed Poe everywhere, did everything with Poe, and Poe didn’t mind. Sure Ben was only 6 to Poe’s 8, but he’d always been a good friend. Any time Poe got sad Ben would get a little sad, too, but he would do everything he could to help take his friend’s mind off the sadness.  He loved to play games and learned the new ones Poe taught him very quickly.  They would climb the Force tree in Poe’s back yard, and Ben would float rocks and flowers around them.  He was also fascinated by the animals that lived in the huge forests out behind Poe’s home.

One day they found an injured woolmander on the floor of the forest.  Ben had felt something in pain and lead them directly to it.  It had a broken leg.  Ben wanted to save it, so Poe took off his shirt and handed it to Ben who wrapped the little creature up carefully.  It became the boys project to nurse the little critter back to health, and for the rest of the summer wherever they went it rode along on shoulders.  It seemed to like Ben best, something about the Force probably, but it perched on Poe’s shoulders just as happily when it had to.

The end of the summer came too fast for the boys, and Ben had to return to his parents. The happiness Poe had been feeling for weeks suddenly crashed around his feet.  His best friend was leaving, and neither knew when they would see each other again.  Poe was trying his hardest not to cry as Ben went to board his parents’ shuttle when he placed the woolmander on his shoulder.

“You keep him.” Ben said softly. “He’ll keep you company until school starts again, then he can keep your dad company while you’re gone.”

“But he likes you better.” Poe replied, not wanting to be selfish.

“He like’s you plenty, Poe. You need him more that I do.”

Poe felt a rush of all kinds of emotions he didn’t understand.  He threw his arms around Ben’s neck and clung to him for a while. As he finally pulled away he pressed a small kiss to his cheek.  Ben gave him a shy smile, his cheeks tinted slightly.  

As Ben boarded the shuttle he turned back and waved once more, and Poe realized, as much as an 8 year old heart can realize, he was in love with Ben Solo.  Knew he always would be.

The second time came years later.  After many heartbreaks.  After Ben was destroyed and Kylo raised from the ashes.  After too many deaths and too much destruction.  And Kylo returned to his mother with his uncle and Rey, begged for forgiveness, offered help to finish off the First Order.  She welcomed him back.

Then she asked Poe to help Kylo out.  Poe, who had been captured and tortured and had information ripped from him by Kylo, whom he loved when he was Ben.  But Poe figured if Leia could forgive him, then he should try to as well.  It took a while, Kylo did apologize for what he did, then hid for days.  But Poe was patient.  Kylo would say things, and Poe would need to walk away for a bit, but he was making an effort to try to be friends.  

And, okay, he was starting to realize that maybe he was still rather attracted to the man who used to be Ben.  And maybe there were times when Kylo looked at him and his heart would start to pound.  And maybe they had shared a few awkward kisses under Black One, or outside of Kylo’s quarters.  And maybe it felt like they were kind of dating, but Poe was still leery.

Then, one afternoon, Poe and Kylo were hanging out with Poe’s pilot friends, listening to Snap tell some war stories about flying with the Rebellion.  Poe hadn’t noticed Kylo slip away, but he definitely noticed when he started yelling some distance away.

When Poe found him, Kylo was crouching down by a small form while a couple of Resistance Ground Troops were running off.  

“Ky, what’s going on?” Poe asked as he walked.

“I could feel her pain.” Kylo replied softly.  He was holding his hand over the small, green, quivering form of a Kobarian swamp dog, reading her with the Force. “And _they_  were yelling and kicking at her.  She’s sick and injured, but I think we can save her.  Will you help me?…Poe?”

And it hit Poe like a ton of bricks.  

“Poe?”

And his mind flashed to the time before, with the woolmander.  And Poe’s heart was gone.

Kylo stood up. “Poe, are you alright? Did you hear me? I need your _mfphp-”_ Poe wrapped a hand behind his neck and into his hair, the other gripping the collar of his tunic, and pulled him down into a hard, passionate kiss.

“I love you!” Poe gasped as the kiss broke.

Kylo’s cheeks tinged pink, and he smiled shyly.  “I know.”  Then he took Poe’s hand and turned back to the dog they were going to rescue.


End file.
